Suppository introducer

ABSTRACT

AN INTRODUCER FOR SUPPOSITORIES AND FLOWABLE, EXTRUDABLE MATERIAL. THE INTRODUCER, WHICH IS PREFERABLY MADE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, HAS A TUBULAR BODY WITH A FORWARD NECKED-DOWN INSERTING SECTION AND A REAR, PRESSURE-GENERATING SECTION IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDER WITHIN WHICH THERE RECIPROCATES A PRESSUREGENERATING PISTON. THE FORWARD END OF THE PISTON IS EXTENDED INTO A FORWARD PORTION HAVING A SMALLER EFFECTIVE DIAMETER, SUCH FORWARD SECTION FITTING WITHIN THE NECKED-DOWN INSERTING SECTION OF THE BODY. THE SUPPOSITORY OR OTHER MEDICAMENT IS PLACED IN THE CAVITY OF THE INSERTING SECTION OF THE TUBULAR BODY, AND AFTER INTRODUCTION OF THE INSERTING SECTION, SUCH MATERIAL IS FORCED OUTWARDLY BY THE PISTON. THE INTRODUCER OF THE INVENTION FACILITATES MANIPULATION WITH SUPPOSITORY PREPARATIONS, AND GREATLY IMPROVES THE HYGIENIC CONDITIONS DURING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MATERIAL.   D R A W I N G

United States Patent [1 1 Holanek et al.

[111' 3,823,715 [451 July 16,1974

I 1 SUPPOSITORY INTRODUCER [75] Inventors: Stanislay Holanek; Karel Stolpa,

both of Brno. Czechoslovakia [73] Assignee: Chirana Zovody Zdravotnicky Technicky Odborovy Podnik, Stara Tnra, Czechoslovakia [22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 205,829

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. l0, 1970 Czechoslovakia 8311/70 [52] US. Cl. 128/264 [51] Int. Cl.'.. A61m31/00- {58] Field of Searchf.....'...... 128/264, 260,261, 263, 128/234, 218 P, 218 PA, 220, 235, 237, 238; 222/386 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,256,884 6/1966 Hill et al. 128/238 X 3,506,008 4/1970 Huck 3,656,482 4/1972 Sunnen 128/26I Primary ExaminerRichard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerLee S. Cohen Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur O. Klein [57] ABSTRACT An introducer for suppositories and flowable, extrudable material. The introducer, which is preferably made of plastic material, has a tubular body with a forward necked-down inserting section and a rear, pressure-generating section in the form of a cylinder within which there reciprocates a pressure-generating piston The forward end of the piston is extended into a forward portion having a smaller effective diameter, such forward section fitting within the necked-down inserting section of the body. The suppository or other medicament is placed in the cavity of the inserting section of the tubular body, and after introduction of r the inserting section, such material is forced outwardly by the piston. The introducer of the invention facilitates manipulation with suppository preparations, and greatly improves the hygienic conditions during the introduction of the material.

7 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEDJUU 61914 3.828.715

INVENTORS= .Sramsmv H0 ANE K KARE-L. 5T LPH ATTORNEY SUPPOSITORY INTRODUCER This invention relates to a suppository introducer which facilitates manipulation with suppository preparations and which greatly improves the hygienic conditions during the introduction of such material. The introducer is advantageous, although not necessarily, made of plastic material.

In clinical practice as well as in home treatment various suppository preparations are used for application, for example, per rectum, and in gynecology to the vagina. Such material, which may be introduced in soft self-sustaining form as a suppository, or as a flowable, extrudable material, is frequently introduced under insufficiently sanitary conditions. From the hygienic viewpoint, the problem of introduction is solved neither by the use of gloves nor by forcing the preparation from a tube provided with an extended tubular nozzle. At the same time, it should be pointed out that the application of suppositories and flowable, extrudable materials is employed with increasing frequency, yet for years there has been no change in the technique of their introduction into the passages of the body. In clinical practice, sanitary aids made of plastic materials "are employed in an ever-growing extent. These are predominantly intended for a single application, conducted under either sterile or unsterile conditions. The most frequently employed of such devices are, for example, sterile hypodermic plastic single use syringes.

The suppository introducer of the invention has a body in the form of a tube having a therewith. largerdiametered portion and a forward or necked-in sectioncoaxial therewijh. A piston reciprocable within the body has a piston slidingly and sealingly cooperating with the forward, inserter part of the device. The suppository or flowable, extrudable material is placed in the cavity of the forward, inserting section of the body, and after the introduction of such section into the passage in the body, the suppository and the like is forced out of the inserting section by thrusting the piston forwardly with respect thereto. The cavity of the inserting end of the tube may be filled with the suppository preparation directly in the production of the device, whereby not only is the wrapping of the suppository not required, but manipulation and placement of the suppository in the tube by the eventual user is also eliminated. This arrangement further increases the speed of use of the device and greatly improves the hygienic conditions which exist during the process of introducing the suppository or other medicament.

A close fit of the piston face in the cavity in the inserting section of the body of the device is sufficient for the taking-in of the preparation as well as the forcing out of the thus taken-in and contained suppositories or other similar material. A stop in-the tube positioning the piston by means of projections defines the cavity of the introducing portion for the taking in of the preparation, and simultaneously prevents the undesirable removal of the piston from the tubular body of the introducer. The sliding of the piston both inwardly and outwardly of the tubular body of the inserter is possible as a result of mutual elastic deformation of the plastic material employed both for the body of the device and for the piston thereof. The transition shoulder between the larger diametered rear portion of the body of the device and the forward; smaller diametered inserting section thereof serves to limit the depth of insertion of the device into the passage in the patient being treated. Such shoulder also forms a stop for the enlarged piston guide, thereby preventing undesirable travel of the piston out of the front portion of the inserter through the mouth of the tubular body of the device. The introducer may be produced in all sizes required.

The single FIGURE of the accompanying drawing is a view partially in side elevation and partially in longitudinal axial section through an illustrative embodiment of suppository inserter made in accordance with the invention.

As shown in the drawing, the body 1 of the inserter has a first, rear larger diametered circular cylindrical portion 5 and a forward, smaller diametered inserting section 4 coaxial therewith. Portions 4 and 5 are connected by an annular shoulder portion 6, as shown. The forward end of section 4 is open; the edges of the mouth of section 4 are preferably rounded to facilitate insertion of the device. The shoulder 6 limits the depth of insertion of the portion 4 of the device into the passage of the patient being treated.

The inserter is provided with reciprocable piston device the stem 2 of which is made in the form of across, the wings 12 of which are similar, successive wings being disposed at right angles with respect to each other. The wings are of uniform radial height in the portion of the piston extending from a transverse operating button 9 affixed to the rear end thereof, two enlargements 10 which form one element of an abutment means preventing the rearward escape of the piston from the body 1 of the device. The other member of such abutment device is formed by opposed wings l3 affixed to the rear end of the body 1 and having their radially inner ends extending radially inwardly of and rearwardly of the extensions 10, as shown. The projections 10 are of such radial length as guidingly to engage the inner wall of portion 5 of the body of the device.

Forwardly of the projections 10 the wings of the piston rod are continued as shown at 11, portions 1 1 having such radial height that they guidingly cooperate with and accurately fit within the circular cylindrical cavity in the'forw ard, inserting portion 4 of the device. At the ends of the wings 11 there is affixed a disc-like piston 8 proper whichsealingly and slidingly cooperates with the inner surface of the inserter portion 4.

The inserter device of the invention is shown in the drawing with the piston retracted into its suppository loading position. A suppository or other preparation in flowable, extrudable form is then charged into the inserter portion 4 of the device. After insertion of the portion 4 into the passage of the patient, the piston is thrust forwardly until the projections 10 engage the inner surface of the shoulder 6, at which time the piston 8 proper lies just inwardly of the forward end or mouth of the section 4.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodiment, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An introducer for suppositories and the like comprising a circular tubular body provided with a forward cylindrical suppository-receivingand inserting section, a rear, larger diameter cylindrical section coaxial of the inserting section, and a shaped abrupt substantially transverse transition shoulder for limiting the depth of introduction of the inserter, a piston having an outside diameter substantially the same size as the internal diameter of the inserting section slidable within the inserting section, guide means to direct the piston and to eliminate its sticking in the tubular body means to is thrust forwardly piston and body within the forward inserting portion in an operative, suppository expressing direction, and means on the piston and body to limit the travel of the piston in both the forward and the rearward directions relative to the body to prevent escape of the piston from the body, said limiting means comprising projections on said piston and pistonstopping formations on said body whereby the projections on the piston cooperate with said transition shoulder and said stopping formations to limit the travel of the piston, the distance between the piston projections and the forward inserting portion of the piston being greater than the distance between the stopping formations and the transition shoulder whereby in the rearward terminal position of the piston the piston lies within and forms a substantial seal with the inner wall of the forward suppository-inserting section.

2. An introducer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the body and piston is made of resilient self-sustaining plastic material.

3. An introducer according to claim 1, wherein both the body and piston are made of resilient self-sustaining plastic material.

4. An introducer according to claim 1, wherein the piston has an elongated stern formed of a plurality of wings disposed angularly with respect to each other, the longitudinal radially outer edges of the wings slidably and guidingly engaging the inner wall of at least one of the forward inserting portion and the rear section of the tubular body.

5. An introducer according to claim 4, comprising rear wings at the rear end portion of the piston of a first, larger radial dimension, and forward wings within and guidingly engaging the inner wall of the forward inserting portion.

6. An introducer according to claim 5, wherein said projections are on the axially forward ends of the rear wings, and said piston-stopping formations are on the rear end of the body projecting radially inwardly into the path of said projections whereby to stop the piston with the projections lying axially forward of said pistonstopping projections.

7. An introducer according to claim 6, wherein the radially outer ends of such projections slidingly and guidingly cooperate with the inner wall of the rear section of the body. 

